Piano-player



C. H. SPENCER.

PIANO PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED APII. I9. 1918.

Patented Dec. 9,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

C. H. SPENCER.

PIANO PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I9. |918.

1,324,701. Patented De@ 9,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Juve Moz.

UNifTEn sTATEs PATENT oEEioE. l

CHARLES H. SPENCER, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 HENRY S. DULANEY,

. OF BALTIMRE, MARYLAND.

PIANO-PLAYER.

Application filed April 19, 1918.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHAnLEs H. SrENoEn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city et Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and usel ul improvements in Piano-Players, of which the Jfollowing is a specification.

Apparatus of this type built into pianos when manufactured, the pianos being especially designed and constructed for this purpose, is Well-known, such instruments being numerous and reasonably satisfactory. Other piano-playing devices designed to be sold separately and applied to pianos already in the hands of the public have been offered for sale but these are on the Whole unsatisfactory because they are cumbersome and unsightly, some of them rendering the pianos unavailable for manual playing; also, they are not dependable and are expensive to install, either on account of the elaborate changes necessary to the piano action and keys or because ot the `fact that each of a series of player units, one for each note, must be separately mounted and connected to give `considerable etl'ort and attention to detail.

The object of the present invention is to produce an automatic piano-player action having the pneumatic units connected together or mounted on a single frame or support adapted to be inserted in the piano With the pneumatic units attached, the Whole structure being so arranged that it can be applied to the piano, preferably in front of the action and above the keys and Without any alteration of the piano `frame or eX- ternal structure, or of the piano action.

To this end, the player units are made of key Width or less so that they can be arranged in a sin-gle row side by side Without overlap or offset on a suitable support adapted to extend transversely of the piano and to be secured t0 the piano frame, each of these key Width units comprising the necessary valves, a controller diaphragm and a striker or bellows, the latter having a projecting extension or lever arm adapted to connect with the corresponding unit of the piano action.

The majority of piano actions have a vertically reciprocating rod for; member' for each :note just 'to the rear of the keys, which Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

serial No. 229,518.

is lifted to operate the striker and play the note and returns to normal position by gravity. rThis lifting is accomplished by means of the keys When the piano is manually operated. 7here the present automatic playing apparatus is applied, the extension or actuating member of the bellows or striker may be brought int-o connection with the rod in any suitable manner by being' placed beneath it or beneath any projection or beneath one of the connecting members at the top or the bottom of thel rod. in the present instance, I have shown an extension member applied to a guide lever oi the piano action at the bottom ot the rod, the actuating members of the pneumatics being` arranged to engage each such extension from beneath.

An important feature of the apparatus is that a series of player units corresponding to the notes of a piano is mounted on a single support from which any one may be separately removed instantaneously with allits parts, and replaced or repaired. The set or series and the support, which in the form of the invention shown, is the Wind-pipe or chest, form a single integral struc-ture adapted to be inserted as such in the pian-o, bringing` the units immediately into operative relation with the corresponding units oi' the piano action. The pneumatic units, though in actuating relation to the piano action, are not attached and when installed can be instantaneously removed each Without disturbing the others. They are also convenientl.v accessible for adjustment of the valves without removing.

In applyingmy present pneumatic apparatus to any piano made Without pneumatic playing means, it is only necessary to provide some suitable means of engagement oi the actuating members, if such means is not present in the action as existing, to make 9 the transverse support for the pneumatic of the necessary length to go inside the piano casing, insert and secure it, bringing the actuating` members of the pneumatics into registration with the proper points on the piano action of each note, and provide the usual music roll and tracker bar and pump in connection with the Wind box which in the present instance is the support, and the installation is complete. Where other apparatus is installed under similar circumstances, z'. c., in a completed instrument, such apparatus being usually beneath the keys, it isnecessary to make elaborate changes, inserting each pneumatic separately and attaching it to the key, in some instances the key being itself part of the pneumatic or bellows, involving many times the expense of installation.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a portion of a piano to which is applied an automatic playing device, the device and the method of application being in accordance with the preferred form of my invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical, central, longitudinal sect-ion through the piano-player unit;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the piano action for a singlenote with the piano-player unit connected Fig. 8 is a plan of the piano with portions of the case broken away vto show the player units; and

Fig. 4 is a section taken transversely of the pneumatic on the line 4, 41 in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, each pneumatic unit includes a bellows or pneumatic striker 1, a diaphragm chamber 2 with a diaphragm 3 and a valve chamber +L. The diaphragm chamber and the valve chamber are formed together in a single block, split on a horizontal plane which intersects both the valve chamber and the diaphragm chamber, the upper member being indicated by reference character 5, the lower member by lreference character G, and the plane of their meetingr surfaces by reference character-'7. The l'iellows or Istriker 1 consists of a fixed plate 8 of key width or less and of suitable length secured to the bottom of the diaphragm and valve casing 6, a bottom'plate 9 hinged or pivoted to the top plate at the forward Tend at 10, and an accordion-plaited connection 11 between the plates, the same being of suitable fabric or flexible material. YBetween the plates, I have shown a perforated spreader 12 to guide and support` the fabric. Secured to the bottom plate 9 at the rear end is a suitable actuating member 14 to engage the piano action and operate it to sound the note corresponding to the particular pneumatic unit, The stationary top plate 8 of the striker is apertured at 15 forming a passage to the valve chamber. and the latter has an opening 16 leading to the outside air and surrounded by a downwardly disposed valve seat 17 cooperating with which is a valve 18 inside the valve chamber. Leading from the valve chamber 4 to the diaphragm chamber 2 is an opening or passage 19 surrounded by an upwardly disposed valve seat 20 cooperating with which is a 'valve 21. The valve 18 has a stem 22 preferably provided with a screw adjustment, the upper end having a key seat and th(` lower end resting on the top of the valve 21. In the diaphragn'i chamber 2 is a swinging plate or lever 24 resting on the diaphragm 3 and shown as pivoted at one end remote from the valve 21 at The lever 2l is turned up at its swinging end at 25 against the bottom surface of the valve 21 and the latter as shown, has adepending pin 27 which enters a perforation 28 in the turned-up end 2G of the lever 24. This valve 18 is also provided with guide pins' 2U depending from the top wall of the valve chamber. Leading from the diaphragm chan'iber 2 through its top wall is an opening 30 provided with an upwardly projecting nipple 31. i

The passage 15 to the valve chamber is formed in a hollow stud 151 integral with the valve chsunl'ier and diaphragm chamber structures or members 5, (3 and-depending therefrom. This stud 151 is threaded eX- l'erually to .operate with a correspondingly threaded opening 152 in the fixed plate 8 of the bellows. T he adjacent surfaces of the plate 8 forming part of the bellows and the bottom wall of the valve and diaphragm chamber member G are fiat, so that the bellows can be rotated relatively to the said chamber members to make or break the connection which is, if desired, locked in assembled position b v means of the small screw 152. The formation of this connection is such that while it easily made tight, the parts may be imn'iediatelv disassembled as for application of new bellows which is the short-lived element of the structure. The convenience with which the bellows may be replaced, the units being also conveniently detached for this purpose. is an important feature of the player, making its period of usefulness indefinitely extensible at a compara tivel)v small cost for repairs.

The pneumatics of the entire series are imlividuallj.' secured to the bottom side of tho transverse wind chamber or pipe 32 which is rectangular in cross-section and apertured to admit the nipples 3l, each of which in the preferred form has a central screw-threaded opening 83 and apertures it arranged around the screw socket or opening. The screw 35 is passed through the wind chamber and seated in the threaded opening 33. lVhen tightened, it serves to draw the pneumatic unit against the wind box, ,securing it in assembled position. As shown, the upper member 5 of the diaphragm chamber and valve chamber has a shoulder at 3o which serves to position the pneumatic unit in its relation to the wind box. the two members being preferably at right angles. The diaphragm preferably has an'insert 3T intermediate ol" its length of comparatively hard. or stiff material as mica, in which is a bleeder or squali/Ling opening 3S. The diaphragm 3, as shown, is normally horizontal or nearly so and secured at its edges between the lower surtace oi the upper member 5 and the upper surface et the lower member (S oi" the diaphragm and valve casing, by gluing or otherwise attachingl to either nieu'iber, preferably the lower one, to provide convenient access to the lever 2l and other internal mechanism. Leading to the diaphragm chamber beneath the diaphragm B is a tube 89 terminating outside the unit ina nipple ed) adapted to be connected each nipple to a corresponding tube il which in turn leads to a corresponding opening in the tracker bar not shown. lhe play ot the bottom or swinging plate 9 of the striker is regulated and controlled by the adjustable stop screw r-in important feature resides in the size, external configuration and relative arrangement of the pneumatic units. rlie diaphragm which must be of suiiicient area to control the valves, instead of being round or square, is long and narrow as shown, the length is approximately nine times the width, and this proportion has, after care i'ul experiment, been found to be most favorable for a pneumatic which is to occupy a single key space which is almost exactly onehalt an inch, and the bellows or pneumatic proper is likewise elongated and made narrow, each unit being` ot lrey width or less so that the pneumatic elements can be arranged side by side in a single row without overlapping` or offsetting, and the connections to thepiano action all made direct and positive without cords, wires or tension members.

The pneumatic players heretofore designed having the pneumatios arranged in a single row, have been located beneath the keys, to place them in which position requires a considerable amount of special work on each piano in which the player is installed. Also, the connection to the keys renders the piano unfit for manual playing until the player is removal. The applicants pneumatic units assembled together on a single support are adapted to be placed within the casing immediately adjacent the action o'j the piano as distinguished from the keys. Also, they are constructed to be placed in relation to tbe piano action so that the pneumatic units me"ely engage the piano action units from one side, the operation of each pneumatic unit serving to thrust forward operatively a moving member of the action, permitting it to rc 1ru to normal position inthe usual manner so that there is nothing to interfere with manual playing ot the piano. The installation ol' the apparatus requires no change whatever in the construction of the piano or arrangement of the action except, in the Vtorni shown, the addition to each element or unit of the piano action of a shoulder, projection or extension which may be convenienti y engaged by the player unit preferably canine' the forward, operativo or working strc `e only so as to ,leave the piano action xe i.. manual playing as already described.

ln iFig. there is illustrated a portion et a single unit of a piano action which may be considered typical. This action includes an upright rod with suitableV conne-c" f* for actuating a striker when the rod is lil"L it its lower end, the rod rests on the rear 1vend of the key lever and is guided by short guide lever fio to which it is j )ivotally connected. lit its upper end,- the red i3 connects with a swinging lever de winch 'arries a striker actuating mei ber. In the normal manual playing oit' the piano, the rod is lifted when the iront end orf tl liey is depressed swinging the lever liti and actuating the striker. The same be accomplished by similarly lire-.ng rod i3 by engaging it at any other point or by engaging either the guide lever Ll5 or the lever d6.

To appl)v my pneumatic )laying ratus, it is only necessary to so Y units combined as nu described trut i ating member la or each unit engages soi one oi? the moving members of the corresponding unit ot the piano action from beneath, so as to lift or actuate it each time the corresponding unit oi the anton -ic playing ap iaratus actuated. its the piano action illustrated presents no such convene ient point for engageme. t has been toi advisable to provide a torn rd extension le? oi" each guide lever to be engaged by tbe actuating member the piano action. This is easilyv and conveniently accomplished by first slightly extending the slot d8 in the rod .4:3 in u/hich the lever i5 is pi voted to admit the member il? (it beingunderstood that these parts are usually made ot wood), when, the extension menibers Ll? haring been provided in suitable and number. one is passed through each et the extended slots d8, being laid on top oit the corresponding guide lever fastened thereto by a suitable screw or screws 50, or other suitable means. rlhe guide lever ite as shown is in the rear oic the rod e3, the eXtei a projects forwardly tliroi'igh the slot a suitable distance to provide convenient engagement by the actuating member ot the corresponding pneumatic unit. shown in Fig. 2, l preferably provide a striking pad 51 made adjustable relatively to the extension arm 47 by means oit a screw To install the automatic player as illrf trated herein, aside Ytrom the usual punii ing and music roll mechanism with which this invention has no connection, it is only necessary to apply the extension arm 47 or .otherwise provide means for the engageengaging the corresponding unit of the pil-.no action in some other convenient man ner as already suggested.

As the piano action units have their corrcponding.points in horizontal alinement, it is important with this arrangement that the actuating members ot' the pneumatics should be in alinement. To this end I have devised a compact automatic playing device which can be mounted on a single support and handled as a single integral structure, as already described, by having the units et key width or less so that they can be mounted in a single row.

The arrangement herein disclosed whereby such an automatic apparatus thus assembled as an integral structure may be inserted in a convenient position where there is plenty of room ior it in the casing in cooperative relation with the action, above the keys, has numerous advantages in the utilization of what may be termed used or second-hand pianos, or those otherwise already in use, for automatic playing. Some of these advantages are economy, ease and quickness of installation, practically no alteration being necessary, and maximum utility without interference with the manual playing of the piano is attained, the automatic members merely cooperating with the piano action to play each individua-l note and release it, in the preferred form without moving the keys. Also, there is but a single transverse support to which the player units are attached, each by a single 'fastening means shown in the form of the screw 35, the transverse member being in I the present instance the wind box. As thus supported, any pneumatic unit can be instantly removed as an entirety for repairs or replacement by merely openin g the piano casing and giving the corresponding screw a few turns. Also, the valve stem 18 is exposed for convenient adjustment. The lower haltl of any pneumatic unit may be removed by separating the parts of the valve and diaphragm chamber on the plane 7. These vfeatures are of great importance in making it possible to keep the apparatus in condition at an extremely low cost.

ll have thus described my invention specifically and in detail in order that its nature and operation may be fully understood; however, the specific terms herein are used descriptively rather than in their limiting sense and the scope of the invention is defined in the claims.

I claim:

l. In combination with a piano action, an automatic playing apparatus consisting of a 4series of pneumatic units corresponding each to a note of the piano, placed side by side in a single row, each unit occupying no more than a single key space and havin a diaphragm of almost key width and o length several times the width so placed as to lie with the long dimension substantially parallel to the keys, and transverse supporting means to which the player units are secured above the keys and in coperative relation to the action, the support with the player units forming an integral structure adapted to be inserted or removed as a whole.

Q. An automatic piano playing apparatus consisting of a series of pneumatic units of key width arranged in a single row and including one unit for each key of the piano operated by the player, supporting means to which the units are secured forming with them an integral structure, each plaver unit including a pneumatic air valve or controlling the admission of air to and its release from the pneumatic, and a diaphragm substantially parallel to the keys, the same being substantially of key width and of length several times its width.

3. An automatic player piano apparatus consisting of a series of pneumatic units adapted to be placed above the keyboard in coperative relation with the piano action, the same being each of key Width and arranged in a single row according to regular key spacing, each player unit including a pneumatic or bellows, means for admitting air to and releasing it from the pneumatic, and a diaphragm for actuating said means, the same being substantially parallel to the keys, of a width closely approaching key width and of a length about nine times its width.

et. An automatic piano playing apparatus comprising a series of pneumatic units of key width arranged in a single row and including one unit for each key of the piano operated by the player', supporting means to which the units are secured forming with them a single unitary structure which can be inserted and removed as a whole, each pneumatic unit with all -its individual parts being separately removable from said uni tary structure while said structure is in the piano, each such unit including an air valve for controlling the admission of air to and its release from the pneumatic and a diaphragm controlling said valve, the same bebellows, the sud also forming means 'for rr lo hovably securing the paris to each other.

Signed by me at Baltimore, Maryland, this 16th dey of AprilJ 1918.

CHARLES H. SFENCER.

Witnesses ZELLA KUHN, ALICE G. DONEGAN. 

